Never Too Late
by Criminally Insane Hermit
Summary: And it was in the shadow of Hogwarts, their home, that Harry Potter slipped a ring onto a crying Severus Snape’s finger. HPSS


A/N: I've been totally obsessed with HPSS lately, and it's killing my inspiration for Tumble Down, so I'm hoping this will help. To anyone who hasn't given up yet on an update on Tumble Down, I'm sorry, and I'm working on it.

Anyway, now that I'm done groveling for forgiveness, this is HPSS slash, and it's rather angsty. There's a little Snape OOC, but technically anything slash is OOC. There's also a reference to _Titanic_, if some of you don't get it. The song is 'Never Too Late' by Three Days Grace.

Warnings: Slash, hints of non-con, implied torture, angst.

Disclaimer: .:Insert off-key singing:.

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"Potter! Stop your infernal humming immediately!"

"Why?"

"Because it's too damn cheerful!"

Harry shot his cell-mate a little grin.

"What's wrong with being cheerful?"

"It's inappropriate! Especially when we're on our deathbeds!"

All traces of humor vanished from Harry's face.

"We're not going to die here Snape."

Snape sneered.

"Typical Gryffindor. You don't honestly believe that we're going to get out of here alive, do you?"

In response, Harry just stomped over to the corner of the tiny cell. With a sigh, he leaned against the slimy wall. When he had embarked on that first, awe-filled adventure into Diagon Alley, he hadn't imagined that this was where he would end up. That this was what magic would lead him to. He had gone to Hogwarts, experienced the awe and glory that was magic, and experienced the even greater awe and glory that was having friends, and, dare he say it, a family. He had gone to Hogwarts, seen the horror that magic could do, watched his friendships deteriorate, his family die, and had had what was left of his innocence stripped away from him. And he had done all of this from the outside, always from the outside.

He held everything he had left, mainly himself, or what was left of himself, close, and he wouldn't give it up for anything. He wouldn't give up, he never had before! And that led him to… well, it actually led him to be where he was now, stuck in Voldemort's dungeons with a pessimistic and suicidal Severus Snape.

Huh.

_This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong  
Who would have guessed it  
I will not leave alone  
Everything that I own  
To make you feel like it's not too late  
It's never too late  
_

"You have to eat Snape."

"Don't mother me Potter."

"Well, I rather enjoy company in this pit, even if it is yours, so I'd prefer if you didn't starve to death."

"What does it matter? We'll either die of starvation or of torture! I'd rather maintain some of my dignity, so I'll take option one!"

"What's dignified about giving up? I thought Slytherins had pride! Of course, obviously I was wrong, you're just the no-good low-life, taking the easy way out."

Snape was up and across the room in a flash, pinning Harry up roughly against the wall, eyes flashing angrily.

"_Nothing _about this is easy Potter. Don't _ever _talk to me like that again."

Harry looked emotionlessly into the burning onyx orbs, and pushed Snape away. Coolly, he responded,

"Don't give me a reason to. _Prove _to me you can survive this." He turned on his heel, and sat the darkest corner of the cell. Near the front of the cell, Snape sighed, and picked up his fork.

_Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it all around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late_

Snape had just come back from one of the individual torture sessions. While normally Voldemort and his Death Eaters liked to torture the two prisoners at the same time, whenever they wished for a _different _sort of entertainment, the sessions would be individual. Normally, Harry would go first, as their 'hosts' preferred Harry's youth, and he would be unconscious by the time Snape got back. Today however, the smirking Death Eater had entered, informing both prisoners that the Dark Lord wanted something more 'sophisticated'. So Snape had gotten dragged out of the cell, and Harry had sat down to wait for him.

He wasn't quite sure what he would do when Snape got back. He had didn't know what Snape was like after one-on-one sessions, and he was a little nervous. He didn't know what he would say, or do. He didn't want to pity the man, Merlin knew he himself hated pity, and something told him that Snape didn't like it any better. So no pity. Harry sighed. All he could do was be compassionate, and empathetic. And not talk. He doubted opening his big mouth would help.

He knew today would be worse then most, since normally when Snape got his 'turn', the bastard and his minions were already rather tired from their time with Harry. Today Snape had them all to his self. Harry shuddered. Snapping his head up, he looked at the opening door, and watched as the Death Eater threw Snape in. Harry waited for a long time after the door closed, staring at Snape's crumpled form, waiting for Snape to move. When it became obvious that Snape wasn't about to move from the fetal position he was in, Harry crawled over.

It came as a shock that Snape was not, as Harry had suspected, unconscious. He was awake, eyes wide, staring unseeingly at the opposite wall. Then, as if Harry moving was some sort of cue, Snape threw himself at Harry, curling up in the startled teens lap, and clutching at his robes.

And then, Snape began to cry.

The tears rolled down Snape's face, splashing onto Harry's tattered clothing. Harry watched, with morbid fascination, as his Professor's carefully constructed shields came tumbling down. He doubted that Snape even registered that Harry was there. Perhaps he thought Harry was someone else, Professor Dumbledore maybe? Snape definitely wouldn't be seeking comfort from _Harry_.

Harry gazed down at the sobbing man, and wondered if this was what he did after his own 'sessions'. Would Snape give that level of comfort to a person he detested? He didn't know, since he never remembered anything afterwards. He hoped Snape wasn't awake or around after Harry's 'sessions', because Harry didn't want _anyone _to know what happened when his shields came down. He had burrowed so deep inside himself that he doubted he could find himself even if he tried. After Sirius died, well, he _never _wanted to feel that pain again. So he hid. From his friends, his surrogate family, the Order, Dumbledore, even himself. And nobody suspected that they were with anyone but the real Harry. Harry was positive that Snape did the same thing. So could he accept this plea for help and comfort, from a man who was baring his soul, even if it meant that there might be sometime in the future that he would have to bare his own soul, and ask for help and comfort?

He wrapped his arms around Snape, bringing the trembling man closer to his chest.

_No one will ever see  
This side reflected  
And if there's something wrong  
Who would have guessed it  
And I have left alone  
Everything that I own  
To make you feel like  
It's not too late  
It's never too late_

"Snape!"

"Yes Potter?"

"What are you doing?!"

"Getting out of here."

"This isn't what I meant when I said we were going to get out of here!"

"Well, your way isn't working, so I'm getting out on my own terms."

"Snape! Put that down!"

"No."

"Damn it Snape! The only reason the Death Eaters gave us knives with our meals today is to see if one of us will try to slit our wrists! Like you're about to do right now! Don't play into their hands!"

Snape paused.

"Snape, I need you to stay alive. We'll get through this. Together. We're in this. Together."

"I am not Rose to your Jack, Potter."

Harry snorted.

"I never said you were."

Snape sighed, and put down the knife.

_Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it all around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late _

Harry woke up slowly, burrowing into the warmth he was laying on. It was so com- Warmth? Comfortable? Harry slept on the floor of the cell, which was always both cold and uncomfortable. The only time his sleeping arrangements changed was when the Death Eaters decided to shackle him to the wall, as punishment for disobedience. Harry spent a lot of time on the wall. So what was so warm? Twisting around and opening his eyes, Harry found himself staring into the tattered and bloody remnants of a black robe. He was laying on Snape! Glancing up, he found himself staring into sleepy onyx eyes. The drowsiness was quickly banished, in favor of confusion, then realization, and finally embarrassment. Snape sat up, and Harry found himself sitting in the man's lap.

"Potter- I- Well- last night- and- you-"

Harry realized what the man was trying to say. Yesterday, Harry had been called to one of the 'sessions' with the Dark Lord and his minions. They obviously hadn't been planning to bring Snape in later, because it had been brutal. Harry had suspected Snape had been offering comfort after 'sessions', and here was proof. He was suddenly overcome with an unidentifiable emotion, and he buried his head in Snape's chest.

Snape stopped talking abruptly. Harry lifted his head up, and fixed Snape with an intense gaze. Looking into the confused face of the other man, the unidentifiable emotion overcame Harry again, and he pressed his lips against Snape's.

He was flying. He was kissing Snape, and he was flying. Snape was kissing back, and they were flying. Snape wrenched away, and he was falling.

Snape attempted to push Harry off, but Harry grabbed his wrists, and gazed at the man, hurt and bewildered.

"Why'd you stop?"

Snape averted his eyes.

"We- you and I- we just… can't." He finished lamely.

Harry's temper flared.

"And why can't we?"

"We just can't."

"Look at me damn it!"

Snape lifted his gaze.

"Now, why can't we?"

"You know as well as I do that we can't do this. You are young, and assuming, as you always do, that we'll get out of here alive, you'll have your whole life ahead of you. I'm so much older than you."

"There's nothing we can do about that. You'll have to come up with something better, because, quite frankly, I don't give a damn about the age difference. Since I have my whole life ahead of me, I'd like to spend it with someone. I wouldn't mind if you were that someone."

"There- There's the issue of what life will be like if we get back. The wizarding world isn't terribly approving of homosexual relationships. And besides, how do we know if we'll even continue this if we get back. You could just slip back into the old role you played, putting all this behind."

Harry gave him a contemptuous look.

"Come on. Is that the best you can do? Listen, when we get back, there is no way that we'll just be able to slip into our old roles. We won't be able to just put it all past us. And as for the wizarding world, it's been a long time since I've given a damn what they thought. I never belonged there anyway."

Snape gazed into the sincere emerald eyes, apparently fighting some sort of internal battle. Then, after a long moment, he slipped his wrists out of Harry's loosened grasp, and twined their fingers together.

_The world we knew  
Won't come back  
The time we've lost  
Can't get back  
The life we had  
Won't be ours again_

_This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong _

"Sev! Wake up!"

"Harry, it's the middle of- Sev?"

Harry huffed exasperatedly.

"Yes, as in Severus. You know, a nickname."

"I will not have you butchering my name in such a way!"

"Keep your voice down! And really _Sev_, is now the time argue about it?"

Severus scowled.

"Fine."

"Good."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting out of here of course!"

Severus stared as Harry pushed open the door and slipped into the corridor. With a jolt, he followed.

"Harry-"

"Hush love."

Harry slipped his hand into Severus' and led him down the corridor. It was pitch black, but Harry seemed to have no problem finding his way. Leading his lover through the winding halls, he finally reached a huge set of doors. He paused for a moment, feeling the excitement begin to build up inside of him, and then pushed the doors open, and walked out onto the grounds of the ancient castle.

It was a clear night, and the moon bathed the lake and forest in silvery light. Harry turned towards Severus, a twinkle in his eyes. He threw his arms around Severus' neck, and pulled into a long, passionate kiss. When he pulled back, his eyes were slightly teary. Severus frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing Sev. I'm just- happy."

Severus smiled.

"Me too."

Harry stepped back, took a deep breath, and knelt on the ground before his confused lover.

"Sev, it's been a whole year since we escaped Voldemort's dungeons. A whole year that we spent together, and despite the war, it's been one of the best years of my life. Sev, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life you."

Severus' eyes widened as Harry pulled a box out of his robe pocket.

"Severus Snape, will you bond with me?"

And it was in the shadow of Hogwarts, their home, that Harry Potter slipped a ring onto a crying Severus Snape's finger.

_Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it all around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late  
Maybe we'll turn it all around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late (It's never too late)  
It's not too late  
It's never too late_

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A/N: .:Sniffles:. Aww, a happy ending. I'm sorry if it was confusing, but I like it. Anyway, this is the end, so please don't contact me asking if there's going to be more. I can only handle one WIP at a time, and even then I'm doing badly. But feel free to review!


End file.
